"Touch Wood" in UK or "Knock On Wood" in US. They are mentioned in order to avoid bad luck while talking about a person's fortunes, prosperity etc: Does one have to really "Touch Wood" (or "Knock On Wood) or just say it? Thanks in advance, Superstitiously Yours................................

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Penguin Academy Of Advanced English M B Farookhi

Expert in English Coaching for all levels upto PG

It’s a medieval superstition that has gathered strength over the years among those who are prone to being superstitious. Today, some superstitious people just utter the phrase without touching wood but others actually touch wood to feel more secure.
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CELTA certified English Language teacher

No , you don't have to touch the wood, it's just an expression, you only say that.
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Engineer and Math wizard.

Well, one did have to touch/knock on the wood because of a pagan belief that malevolent spirits inhabited wood, and that if you expressed a hope for the future you should touch, or knock on, wood to prevent the spirits from hearing and presumably preventing your hopes from coming true.
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"Read , Recall and Procure"

Just say
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English Trainer

By touching the wood means that people are seeking the protection of wood God ( who lived in trees) to prevent bad luck. The belief is that touching the wood would ward off evil as one is touching the wood of the cross.
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Shruti Kaura has a proven track record of 10+ years for providing individual training

Yes, one has to while speaking.
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Communication Skills Training, Interview Grooming Classes, Career Counselling and Legal Coaching

Just say it.....it does not mean really touching wood
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Motivator/Life coach

Everybody has his own beliefs and principles in his life and we feel that these beliefs work sometime but the fact is different. In fact, it is the only programming of our sub-conscious mind which converts the imagination into reality.
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Meditation, Academic Classes and Spoken English Trainer

There is no account of origin for these phrases touch wood or knock on wood. Both implies the same meaning and it's a belief that some good spirit resides in woods or trees, by tapping it or touching it our bad luck goes away. It's upto individual belief.
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English Trainer

The practice is to touch the wood.. the wood here has its significance in the cross of Jesus Christ
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